Means for supporting mine brattices



Feb. 26, I J. T. SEMBOMVIER, JR

. MEANS FOR SUPPORTING MINE BRAT TICES Filed April 25, 1945 l 5. WI? I 16 JESPJ'IZR T. SEMBOWERJR Patented Feb. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE S FOR SUPPORTING MENE BRA'E'EICES Jasper'i. Sem'bower; in, Baxter, W. va.

Application April25, 1945, serial No. 590,223

2 Claims.

Thi invention comprises an article for sup porting mine brattices being especially adapted fo use in coal mining for pendently supportin the "curtain-like barriers installed during the progress of mining, to permit circulation of air inpre'determined path and prevent harmful gasesfrom reaching the workin spaces in the After extensive exp'eiiments- I have found that mine brattices, heretofore supported by cumbersome and expensive frames and supports of varwall formation; to provide a method to insure efiective engagement of brattices with the top, sides and bottom of the mine for temporary stoppings, so called mine checks, etc. until the installation of permanent stoppings has been consummated; and to provide an extremely simple article and method capable of installation by unskilled workmen, without the use of special tools. and permitting expeditious reverse operation for removal and reuse of the brattices.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the present preferred forms of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein;

Figure 1 'is an elevational view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention, illustrating the method of attaching brattice cloth to a mine wall;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional View of the same, showing the wedge plate in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the wedge plate and brattice cloth retaining key, showing the key removed;

Figure 4 is a simila view of a modified form of plate and key.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of another form of wedge plate and brattice cloth support, illustrating its application;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 5; and- Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of combined plate and brattice cloth supporting hook. I

In order to illustrate the application of this invention, I have shown in tile-drawing, a portion of a mine wall 8, the surface 9 of which is irregular or undulated, in order to better illustrate the application of the present invention.

I have also shown in the drawing, a fragment of brattice cloth or, fabric iii, made of burlap or like material. It has been found from experiment that best result are obtained in carrying out the teaching of the present invention by reversely folding the marginal edges of the wall on gaging portion of the brattice cloth upon themselves, as indicated at l I' and shown to advantage in Figure 2. The overlapped or folded margin of the brattice cloth is adapted to be held into engagement with-the mine wall surface while a steel wedge plate I2 is forced through the overlap i l. The plate I2 is pointed and of sufficient tensile strength to permit its being driven into the Wall formation of slate, shale or the like. The outer free end of the plate is relatively Wide and is provided with a perforation I3. In one embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the perforation is of triangular contour and is adapted for the reception of a complementally formed key M, shown to advantage in Figure 3. After the plate l2 has been passed through the folded over portion of the brattice cloth and driven into the wall 8 to the point where the opening I3 is accessible just beyond the brattice cloth, the key It is slidably engaged through the opening l3 in a manner to engage one of the flat faces of the key with the overlap H. As shown advantageously in Figure 2, this arrangement holds the overlapped brattice cloth in contiguity to the wall surfaces, preventing creeping 0f the brattice cloth on the key and of course positively preventing casual displacement of the brattice cloth from the key. Regardless of the contour of the surface, engagement of the brattice cloth with the surface is feasible, thereby preventing leakage of air and gas between the margin of the brattice cloth and the wall surface. After a permanent barrier has been erected, the brattice cloth may be expeditiously removed in an obvious manner, rolled up and transported to another part of the mine.

As shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, the plate l2 may bemodified to the extent that a round opening it is formed therein, adapted for the reception of a common nail I l which also acts as a key and is adapted for slidable engagement in said opening it. The nail is adapted to extend half way through the plate l2 just the same as does the key I4, so that an appreciable portion of the nail on both sides of the plate I2 will be in engagement with the folded over portions of the brattice cloth.

In Figures 5 and 6, a further modification of the invention is illustrated, wherein an imperforate wedge plate I2 is illustrated. This plate, instead of being engaged directly through the brattice cloth, is adapted to extend through a corresponding opening l5 formed in the base of a hook I6, the bill I l of which is pointed to facilitate its engagement through overlapped parts H of the brattice cloth. As shown in Figure 5, a suificient portion of the enlarged end of the wedge plate extends from the wall to approximate the depth of the hook Hi. In this form of the invention, the reversely folded margins H are in a position at right angles to'the wall, in:

stead of being in parallelism thereto, as in the form of invention shown in Figure 2. Removal of this form of the invention from the wall for reuse, may also be effected in an obvious manner.

In the remaining form of the invention illustrated in Figure '7, a composite structure is provided, including an integral plate I2 and a hook II which issues from the wide end of the plate. In this form of the invention, the plate I2 is driveninto the wall just the same as the plate 12'. The overlapping portion ll of the brattice cloth is slidably engaged with the hook II in a manner to effect engagement of the brattice cloth with the surface of the mine wall, after the fashion of the form of invention illustrated in Figure 5.

It i of course understood that the article and method of the present invention is adapted for engaging the ,brattice cloth with the roof, side walls and floor of the mine and I have herein used the word walls in the all-inclusive sense. Moreover, although I have found that best results are obtained by overlapping the marginal edges of the brattice cloth, preparatory to engaging the same with the securing means of the present invention and the surface of the mine walls, I am nevertheless aware that good results are also obtainable by engaging the single ply cloth with the walls. 7 I,

It is to 'be understood that the steps in the method of the present invention includes the initial engagement of the brattice cloth with the wall surface, following which the brattice cloth is directly secured and held into engagement with the surface, completely eliminating all types of frames and supports heretofore employed in brattice-work.

Various change may be made in the invention, within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is: l

1. Means for securing hrattices to the surfaces of coal mine walls, a 'brattice cloth, a pointed plate engageable with the brattice cloth and into the mine wall, the outer end of the plate, beyond the brattice cloth; being perforate, and means engaged through the perforation to prevent displacement of the brattice cloth.

2. Means for securing brattices to the surfaces of coal mine walls, a brattice cloth, a wedge plate partly engageable through the brattice cloth and into the mine wall, the exposed-portion of the plate being provided with an opening, and means slidably mounted in said open- :5 ing to hold the brattice cloth from displacement.

JASPER T. SEMBOWER, JR. 

